Method and system for selecting a broadcast-signal in a multi-user environment

Abstract

There is disclosed a system comprising, a source-tuner having a receiver for receiving external broadcast-signals, and a transmitter for broadcasting internal broadcast-signals to a network that communicatively links the source-tuner to a number of tuners. The source-tuner is adapted to receive control-signals from the tuners and to select external broadcast-signals as the source of the internal broadcast-signals, on the basis of the control-signal received from the tuner.

1 . A source-tuner comprising:
 a receiver for receiving an external broadcast-signal; and   a transmitter for broadcasting an internal broadcast-signal to a network communicatively linked to a tuner; wherein   the source-tuner is adapted to receive a control-signal from the tuner and to select an external broadcast-signal, as the source of the internal broadcast-signal, on the basis of the control-signal received from the tuner.   
   
   
       2 . The source-tuner of  claim 1  wherein:
 the transmitter is adapted to broadcast the internal broadcast-signal to a network communicatively linked to a plurality of said tuners; and   the source-tuner is provided with memory for storing an identification and/or a priority level of at least one of said tuners.   
   
   
       3 . The source-tuner of  claim 1  wherein the source-tuner is adapted to receive more than one external broadcast-signal and to broadcast more than one internal broadcast-signal on the network. 
   
   
       4 . A system comprising:
 a source-tuner according to  claim 1 ;   a tuner comprising a control-signal transmitter for transmitting a control-signal to the source-tuner; and   a network communicatively linking the source-tuner and the tuner; said network being capable of transmitting an internal broadcast-signal.   
   
   
       5 . The system of  claim 4  wherein the control-signal transmitter is adapted to send a control-signal comprising an identification of the tuner associated with the control-signal. 
   
   
       6 . The system of  claim 4  wherein the control-signal transmitter is adapted to send a control-signal comprising a priority level of the tuner associated with the control-signal. 
   
   
       7 . The system of  claim 5  wherein:
 the source-tuner comprises a status-information generator and status-information transmitter for transmitting said status-information via the network; and   the tuner is adapted to incorporate said status-information into a signal to be sent to an end-receiver communicatively linked thereto.   
   
   
       8 . The system of  claim 5  comprising a plurality of tuners each having an end-receiver communicatively linked thereto. 
   
   
       9 . A method for selecting a broadcast-signal in a system according to  claim 5  in which:
 a tuner sends a control-signal to the source-tuner; and   the source-tuner receives the control-signal and selects an external broadcast-signal from a plurality of available external broadcast-signals on the basis of the control-signal.   
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 9  wherein a priority level is associated with the tuner transmitting the control-signal and the source-tuner does or does not carry out the action of selecting an external broadcast-signal depending upon the priority level of the tuner associated with the control-signal. 
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 10  wherein the source-tuner compares the priority level of the tuner transmitting a control-signal with the priority level of a tuner having transmitted a previous control-signal and acts to select an external broadcast-signal only when the priority level of the transmitting tuner is higher, or equal to or higher, than the priority level of the previous tuner. 
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 11  wherein the control-signal includes an identification and/or a priority level of the tuner sending the control-signal. 
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 10  wherein the source-tuner generates status-information and transmits the status-information via the network; and the tuner receives and forwards the status-information to an end-receiver communicatively linked to it. 
   
   
       14 . A tuner comprising:
 a receiver for receiving an internal broadcast-signal from a network communicatively linked to a source-tuner;   a tuner-transmitter for transmitting a signal to an end receiver; and   a control-signal transmitter for transmitting a control-signal to the source-tuner via the network.   
   
   
       15 . A tuner according to  claim 14  further comprising memory for storing a priority level and/or an identification of the tuner.